Patrolman Michael P. Connors

Michael P. Connors

Patrolman Michael Connors was shot and killed after making a traffic stop of a car traveling the wrong way on a one way street near the intersection of Madison Street and Grace Street.

Unbeknownst to Patrolman Connors, the four occupants of the vehicle were recent parolees and had just committed an armed robbery of a convenience store on the other end of the block.

The suspects thought that Patrolman Connors had witnessed the robbery and opened fire on him, striking him in the face four times. He was found by his lieutenant minutes later. All four suspects were sentenced to life. The shooter had originally been sentenced to death but had the sentence commuted to life in a second trial.

The shooter was paroled in 2020 following a controversial decision by the Virginia Parole Board that deviated from normal hearing procedures by intentionally failing to notify Patrolman Connors' survivors of the hearing. The Virginia Office of the State Inspector General determined that the parole board violated state law and its own procedures in granting the parole.

Patrolman Connors had served with the Richmond Police Department for one year and had just received word that he was going to be hired by an agency in his home state of New York. He was survived by his parents.